


Save the King

by Scattered_Irises



Category: Yu-Gi-Oh! Zexal
Genre: Brief Gore, Crimes & Criminals, Criminal AU, Explosions, Gangs, Gen, Organized Crime
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-28
Updated: 2020-12-28
Packaged: 2021-03-10 19:48:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,349
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28372665
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Scattered_Irises/pseuds/Scattered_Irises
Summary: The infamous Crimson Emperors of Heartland City has had their gang leader—Nasch—arrested. Now with new (temporary) leadership, the motley crew of two bruisers, a poisoner, a stealthy spy, a demolitions expert and a tagalong spirit work together to infiltrate Heartland Tower. Explosions ensue at the hands of their new leader.
Kudos: 7





	Save the King

**Author's Note:**

> From the Vault™️. Done for a story swap for a member on my Zexal Discord server. The prompt was to have a heist-like scenario similar to Six of Crows. I highly recommend Leigh Bardugo’s series, by the way.

_ Drip. Drip. Drop _ _._

The leaking roof of The Crystal Emperor’s base constantly dripped amidst the torrential rain. In the midst of the room, a table stood on four rickety legs and a map pinned in the middle. Fitfully, the naked bulb shone on the map in flickers. Outside, the windows led to a grey and wet world. Gathered around the room were seven individuals, most focused around the map. Floating above them all was Mist, relishing the disquiet in the room.

"Alit and Gilag, you’ll take out the guards with your fists," instructs Mist, eyeing the two bruisers.

Alit sighs and reluctantly hi-fives Gilag. Mist smirks and then turns to Durbe. 

"Durbe, you distract the gatekeeper as the bruisers knock out the guardsmen. Do whatever it takes to keep their attention. I don’t care if you invite them to bed or have to take them on a costly shopping trip. But whatever you do, make sure they don’t sound the alarm," assigns the dark entity.

Durbe stiffly adjusts his jacket, his duty clearly a waste of his chemical talents.

"Yes, sir," replies the poisons expert.

As Nasch’s part-time lover and boyfriend, he supposes that Nasch wouldn’t also be above telling Durbe to sell his charms elsewhere. Figures. It was hard to find a situation that needed a good poison these days. Mist’s devious gaze then turns to Rio, who meets his gaze with a grimace. 

"North Wind, infiltrate the Tower from the basement. I expect you to be in the designated meeting spot by the appointed time," says Mist as Rio nods grudgingly. 

Mist then floats around the room, his aura pulsating.  _Chaos was near._ He licks his lips in delight and then turns to Mizael, who glares at him. 

"Do whatever you can to make it through the gates and up to the vantage point. Shoot anyone who gets in your way," says Mist. 

Mizael doesn’t change his posture nor expression. Mist returns his glare.

"Did you hear me?" he growls.

"You’re not our leader," hisses Mizael. 

Turning around, Mist sees the hostile glares of the rest of the gang and purses his lips.

"Then who will free Nasch?" asks Mist, a teasing tone in his voice. 

He looks around the concrete room, the dampness mixing in with the tension and anger.  _Delicious. Absolutely delicious_ _._ Alit was looking down at his shoes. Gilag was kneading his hands. Rio was sitting in the corner, crossing her arms and looking away from everyone. In the opposite corner, Vector snorted. After a few moments of silence, Durbe steps up, steel in his eyes.

"It should be The North Wind who leads us. She’s his second in command," says Durbe. 

Nonchalantly, Mist rolls his shoulders and looks at Rio in her eyes. 

"But if I can recall, I beat her in a duel, fair and square. Therefore, I am the leader," reasons Mist with a smirk. 

Afterwards, he turns his head to Vector and the two exchange smirks. 

"Demo, your part comes at the end when we get your precious Nasch out," purrs Mist. 

Vector laughs. 

"Do you mind if he gets burnt a bit?" asks the carrot head. 

"Not at all," chuckles Mist. 

###

Vector smirks as he and Mist enter Heartland Tower’s holding rooms. The bottom floor of the tower was a labyrinth of eerie lights and cold air. They both could smell misery in the atmosphere. Electricity was always buzzing in the background and they could almost feel the particles in their way, a constant staticky fuzz on their skin. 

"North Wind just alerted us. King’s in holding block **A2** ," says Vector as he reads a message from his watch.

"He’s close then," notes Mist. 

Looking ahead, the words **A1** stare at them in massive letters. They quickly pass the large doors and move onto **A2** , where a more secure door affronts them. 

"Nothing I can’t do," chuckles the entity was he disappears through the door. 

"Holler if you need me," teases Vector as he blows a dart at a nearby security camera. 

"I won’t," returns Mist, poking his head through the sheet metal. 

Once he’s fully in **A2** , Mist grimaces when he sees a long hall stretch out ahead of him.  _Making us work, that North Wind. Doesn’t she want her precious brother back?_ thinks Mist as he floats down the cell doors. Which one could Nasch be in? Would he have to poke his head in through every single door? Gritting his teeth, Mist pokes his head through the door closest to him and quickly pulls out when a hound leaps up at him. 

Next time he comes back to the gang, he’s making sure Rio pays.

He pokes his head in through one row of cell doors, a headache beginning to form in his head. Back and forth, back and forth. Sometimes he made an unwitting prisoner scream. Other times he was face to face with an angry animal. Hearing footsteps, he fades and follows the sound. An armored guard walks by, a rifle in his hands.  _Excellent_ , thinks Mist, quickly flying over and possessing the unwitting guard. 

After a struggle of wills and a headache that bloomed towards the front of his head, Mist slides into the guard’s skin and flexes his fingers. 

"Come out here, you bastard," calls Mist. "You know the Emperor’s rhyme. Tap it out so I can find you."

As he paces down the hall, he keeps his eyes and ears on alert. 

"I mean it," repeats Mist, a warning in his voice. "We all came together, including 96—me. I’m the one making your break out possible."

A pause. And then a series of raps in a rhythm, counting out the syllables to the Emperor’s rhyme. 

_ Crown and crystal do we share _

_ From the far seas of Barian world we come and tear _

_ Enter the bear’s lair if you dare _

"Again, you six pronged mongrel," growls Mist, trying to keep the persona of the guard as he enters a new hallway, a security camera staring right at him. 

The knocks answer him again and Mist finally stops at the door. 

"What is it?" growls Mist, fumbling for the keys in the guard’s pocket. 

He’s dismayed to find nothing. 

"With your hand, move it left and then down and then back up," says the voice from inside.

Nasch’s familiar voice makes Mist certain that this was the correct cell. He does as instructed and the door slides open, his leader staring at him from the back of the cell. Tired. But, alive. 

"I thought it’d be my sister who’d save me," says Nasch, standing up. 

_Not even a thank you._ That imperious brat. He’ll make sure to let Vector burn him. 

"Let’s go," says Mist. From the other hallway, he can hear an explosion and then the blaring of an alarm. 

Running footsteps soon reveal Vector, a bomb in his hand. 

"And there we are! How was your stay at Heartland Tower, hmm?" says Vector, arming a bomb at the end of the hall. 

"I need a knife," says Nasch. 

"That’s not how you thank your friends..," pouts Vector mockingly. Regardless, he throws Nasch a knife. 

Deftly catching it, Nasch causes Mist and Vector’s eyes to widen in shock when he plunges the knife into his own thigh. With a few pained grunts, Nasch digs the knife through his skin until he fishes out a small chip. Tossing it aside, he rips off the top of his prison garment and wraps it around the opened area. Cleaning off the knife, he gives it back to Vector as he steps away from the explosion. 

"Tracking chip," explains Nasch as another bomb explodes. 

They hear footsteps in the distance. As they begin to run, Ryoga lags behind. Hissing in frustration, Mist signals to Vector to carry him. Together, they hoist Ryoga up in their arms and run out into the cloudy sky. Cheers greet them as they leap into the unmarked vehicle, driving through the open gates. Another day for the Emperors’ infamy to grow. Another day for Black Mist to commit a crime.


End file.
